Project: Phantom
by SugarShadow
Summary: AU Christine Daae, one of the top police officers in Paris, has been given a new assignment. Track and take down the Phantom, one of the greatest known thieves in France. But getting captured wasn't part of the job description...UPDATED!
1. The beginning

Type, pause, coffee.

Type, pause, coffee.

Christine sat stiffly in the brown leather chair. In one hand, a styrofoam coffee cup was encased in a tense, steely grip. The other rested on the cherry wood desk beside her keyboard, occasionally flying up to tap a series of keys. Her almond eyes were intensely fixed on the monitor that sat in front of her. She absently took a sip of the poorly made cappuccino, wincing at the bitter taste.

Her hand moved over to the mouse, then stopped, hovering above it hesitantly. The almond eyes closed gently with a sigh. "Common…" she whispered. Then, her finger shot down and pecked at the plastic mouse button. Silence filled the room as the monitor blacked out, enclosing the room in an eerie darkness.

Random numbers and text suddenly began to fly across the screen at incredible speed. Christine's fist clenched itself tightly to the table edge. "Please…"

PROJECT PHANTOM DNA TEST: FAILED.

She swore loudly and slammed her fist on the desk, her knuckles visibly white.

Five years. Five years she had labored away. All because of HIM. The Phantom. The infamous thief that was at the top of every wanted list in France. Her assignment. Her burden.

Her obsession.

In a number of years, he had managed to rob over 20 banks all over the capital of France. A crafty thief that could outsmart any security system thrown at him. So, security got better. But so did he.

So many times they had come close to catching him, and every time he had managed to get away with his life. The closest anyone had come to seeing his face was the flash of white that disappeared as quickly as it came. And those eyes…the same horrific amber eyes that taunted her through every security camera tape.

Her lids grew to slits. "You're mine," she hissed in vengeance. With a harsh push of the power button on the computer's tower, she began to rub her temples in an irritable manner.

"Don't you think you're going about this whole Phantom business a bit to seriously?"

She groaned. "Go away, Raoul."

"Oh no you don't," came the snorted reply. "I'm treating you to dinner tonight."

Raoul. Christine's friend and partner for countless years. One of the top ranked officers on the force, like herself, he always remained cool, calm, and collected. The two of them had even dated at one time. That is, until he "gently" came out of the closet. After vowing never to date men again, Christine became best friends with him as "partners in crime".

She shook her head and turned the computer back on. "Look, I'm busy right now. Maybe Saturday, alright?" she mumbled.

"Quoted from last week," he replied haughtily. "You're just jealous because you have a non-existent sex life, and you're venting your frustration out on me." With that, he pulled out fold-out chair and plopped down.

"Right. Says the gay man who can't get a date in Paris to save his life," she snickered. He frowned. "I had a blind date last week, if you remember correctly," he said. "Yeah, a BLIND date. Which turned out to be a girl," she replied with a cocked brow.

"That's beside the point. It was still a date," he grinned. "Which, in the end, proved I am more outgoing, so ha, I win." He stuck his tongue out at her at the last comment. She rolled her eyes and began to type in her password. Suddenly, the screen blanked out again. She blinked a few times, and looked over to see Raoul with his finger on the power switch. She glared angrily. "You just don't know when to quit, do y-"

"Daae, come in Daae, we have a 2754 at L'ande Bank. Come in Daae," came the loud crackle from the handheld police radio on the desk. Christine dove for it and fumbled for the correct button. She found it and punched it harshly. "This is Daae, what's the status, sir?" she replied monotonously into the device. Raoul crossed his arms behind her back. "Golly, there goes dinner," he grumbled. She quickly "shush"ed him and turned her attention back to the radio.

The static on the radio grew louder as the chief shouted, "No hostages known of, man suspected to be heavily armed. We thi-shhhhh-the Pha–shhhhhhhhh-Phantom!

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. Raoul quickly started, "Now Christine, let's think logically for a se-" but she was out the door before he could finish. He sighed and looked over at the radio. "I'm gonna break that damn thing," he grumbled as he made he way out the door, too.

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Hey, all, Chelsea-chan here. This is my first POTO fanfic…ever…o-o no hurting.

Review. I respond to all my reviewers

NO REVIEWS, NO STORY! Flames will be used to roast Alyssa with.


	2. Off to Work We Go

O.O

EIGHT REVIEWS?!

O.o All within five minutes of posting, no less. Thanks for all your support, I will answer your reviews at the end of this chapter.

NOTE: I decided to re-write this chapter. Frankly, I didn't put any effort into it, and it just doesn't make any sense. Thinking it wouldn't be popular and all…

-facepalm- :P

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After ten minutes of maniacal driving, screaming pedestrians, and angry crossing guards, the two finally arrived at their destination. Christine quickly jumped out while Raoul clumsily stumbled out onto the pavement.

Christine eyed the area quickly. Before her stood the stereotypical police scene: Bright yellow tape surrounded the parking lot, while police cars were almost piled on top of each other. Behind the open doors, officers could be seen crouching down, cocking handguns and shouting orders. She could hear one of the men on the megaphone, making pathetic attempts to coax the criminal out.

Quickly, she made her way over to the commanding chief, who stood atop one of the police cars, barking orders at the other officers. He was a short, stumpy man with a heavy brow and a _real_ short temper. His hair was combed neatly to one side and his mouth was hidden by a bushy mustache that took over a good potion of his face.

He looked down and frowned at Christine. "What do you want?" he snapped, obviously impatient. She took her pistol out of its holster and cocked it. "Officer De Chagny and I are going in," she stated bluntly. The chief's face flushed a furious shade of red.

"_ARE YOU INSANE?!"_ he roared, angered by her insolence.

She narrowed her eyes. "I've been after this man for ages," she ground out, "and I'll be damned if I wait any longer."

The chief settled a bit and contemplated the situation. "What if there are hostages?" he asked.

"In all of the robberies he's committed, he's never held a hostage. I'd doubt he'd start now," she replied. He paused before nodding his head. "Alright," he agreed, "radio us when it's clear. I'll send the team in."

She gave a nod of her head and began to move toward the bank. Realizing Raoul was not following, she turned back to see him standing with his arms crossed over his chest. "Are you coming with me?" she asked, raising a brow.

"I _could_ do that," he said, putting a mock thinking expression on, taping his finger against his chin, "or I could, y'know, jump into piranha-infested waters completely naked. Tell me, have you gone completely mad? What makes you think this guy won't put a bullet through your head the second he sees you?" he said, his voice laced with complete disbelief.

"I never said I thought that."

She swiftly turned away and ducked under the police tape. Raoul stood there, completely dumbstruck.

'Well,' he thought, 'I could either go into a bank inhabited by a madman with loaded arms, or I could just stay outside and let Christine handle it herself,'

He swore under his breath as he began to make his way toward her retreating figure. "I must be mad myself."

Christine soon approached the large, metallic doors with Raoul close behind. She grabbed the handle and attempted to twist it, but it didn't move. She moved back a few steps and pointed the pistol at the handle. "Stand back," she commanded. Raoul looked at her, confused. "Wha-"

He jumped back, yelping in surprise as she shot off a round of bullets at the handle, causing it to fly off of the door and clink on the pavement a few feet away.

Resting the pistol at her side, she used her other hand and cupped it over her mouth. "This is the police!" she yelled forcefully, "Come out with your hands visible!"

Only a steely silence met her ears. Looking over at Raoul, who nodded his head, she raised the pistol against her chest.

She launched herself forward and hit the door with her shoulder, causing it to fly open and slam against the wall with a loud, metallic bang. Then she quickly ran in and thrust the pistol outward, scanning the room. Raoul hastily followed in as well, mirroring her actions.

The area was completely empty. The floor was littered with glass from the teller's booths, all of which had been shattered relentlessly.

Raoul lowered his weapon. "At least there's no blood," he sighed, relieved.

Christine took the handheld radio from her belt and pressed the red button on the side. "This is Daae. He's not in the main room, we're going to check out another part of the build-"

She stopped short when all of the lights blacked out suddenly. She cursed aloud. "Raoul, do you have the flashlight?"

No answer.

She looked around, panicked. "Raoul?!" Silence.

Thinking quickly, she scanned the dimly lit room. She could hardly see, the only light in the area was coming from the setting sun, barely peeking out from behind the horizon. She cursed her luck, wishing she had never come in here in the first place.

Suddenly, a loud gunshot was heard down the hallway to her left. Thinking that perhaps it was Raoul, she clutched the gun in her hand and ran off in the direction of the noise.

It was hard to make out where she was going, and as a result, she bumped into a large, hard chest. Stumbling backwards, she caught herself before she fell to the ground.

Shaking her head, she looked up at the silhouette of the figure. "Raoul, that you?" she asked, her voice shaky. When the figure made no movement or gesture, she raised her gun towards it. "Show yourself!"

With a loud buzz from the fluorescent bulbs above, light quickly flooded the area once more. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light. She looked up to see the person she had bumped into was most certainly not Raoul.

Looking back at her was a tall, handsome man. He was dressed in a black suit and his hair was slicked back against his scalp. His chiseled face was complimented by the detailed white mask that covered it. In his right hand was a small handgun.

Pointed straight at her chest.

Her eyes widened. "You're the-"

"Phantom? Correct," he replied airily. "Really now, did you think it would be that easy, my dear?"

So there they stood, guns pointed at the other. The masked man chuckled a bit, a gleam of amusement sparkling in his eye.

She snarled and prodded the weapon closer to his face. "Drop your gun!"

"Why don't your drop your gun?"

She blinked at him, dumbfounded. "I don't have time for your silly games, Phantom!"

"Oh, really?" he asked. His thumb suddenly shot up and cocked the gun. Her eyes widened.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Christine gave a sigh of relief. "Thank god it's you, Raoul." The man turned his head over to the side slightly to see a younger, blonde officer with a revolver aimed nearly into his ear. "I see your friend decided to join our game too, hm?" the mysterious man chucked. Raoul ground his teeth and snarled. "If you don't drop your gun in 3 seconds, I'll blow your fucking brains out," he growled.

"Well, we wouldn't want that, now would we?" The man said in amusement, moving closer to Christine. "But you see, if you do that," he motioned to her with his own gun, "I'd have to blow HER brains out. Now, that'd be an awful mess to clean up, don't you think?"

Raoul narrowed his eyes and moved towards him, but stopped when he heard a small "click" behind him. He turned to see a dark-skinned man in turban with a gun aimed at the back of his head. "Well, if you blow his brains out, and he blows her brains out, then I'd have to blow your brains out, and I'd be all by myself. And I'd get awful lonely all by myself," the man said in a deadpan voice.

"Ah, excellent timing, Nadir," the masked man said, nodding towards him. The turban guy, now recognized as Nadir, rolled his eyes. "This is the last time I'm saving your hide," he grumbled.

All grew silent. The four of them stood there, guns cocked and aimed, ready to be fired. The Phantom eventually broke the silence.

"This is quite a compromising situation, wouldn't you agree?"

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REVIEWER RESPONSES!

Lady Saint VII: I know, I thought the relationship between the two would be a nice change.

Erik'sangel527: Thank you for the support, it is definitely appreciated!

The Little Madamemoiselle: Aw, thanks!

Me: He IS gay, we all know it xD

MJ MOD: Original plot, no?

Maddie: My…masterpiece?

xBrokenMindedx: I know, I wanted a twist on a modern fic, but not an over clichéd idea at the same time.

Jtbwriter: I know, don't you hate it when he tries to interfere? T.T

Twinkle22: I try to update as fast as I can, thanks for the support!

x-forbiddenrose-x: Thanks

Normally, I don't update this quickly, but it is the weekend and all that jazz…

Remember, more reviews, faster updates!

See that little blue button?

You know you want to click it.

It's CALLING to you.

Listen.


	3. Situation

O.O

…-Blink-

28 reviews on 2 chapters –stares at screen- The world…is coming to an end…

GROUP HUG! –crushes reviewers-

Reviewers: X.x

Thanks so much for your support, guys, all of these positive comments have really motivated me! Now, on to your long awaited chapter!h

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Raoul sighed irritably, squirming a bit under the heated watch of the man behind him. "This isn't getting us anywhere," he said, flicking his gaze at Christine. She nodded in silent agreement, and then turned her attention back to the Phantom. "Look," she ground out through her teeth, "If you drop your weapons, you have my word we won't attack."

"The guarantee of a girl with a fully loaded pistol and raging anger isn't all that promising, I'm afraid," he replied airily.

"…Might I make a suggestion?" Nadir cut in from behind Raoul, pushing the gun further to his head, causing it to tilt forward a bit. Raoul's eyes visibly widened.

"You're in _no _position to be making _any_ suggestions," she snarled back at the man, her eyes never leaving the masked target in front of her.

They all stood in silence, each fixed on the person in front of them, almost unsure of what to do next.

Christine finally broke the deafening stillness. "Look, we hate you and you hate us-"

The Phantom promptly cut it, "Well, I wouldn't go so far as HATE-"

"QUIET!" she yelled, and he immediately settled. "Right. So, let's make it fair. How about we all just lower our weapons at the same time and back away. We promise not to shoot if you do the same."

The Phantom seemed to contemplate over the idea for a minute. "And then what?"

"We'll figure that out when we get there," she said. He looked over at his accomplice, who nodded. He turned back to Christine and shrugged. "Fair enough."

"Alright," she sighed. 'Maybe if I stall them long enough, the rest of the team can cut them off at the East entrance…' she thought to herself. "Now, on the count of three we'll all-"

Suddenly, Nadir lifted his handgun into the air, flipped it with ease, and brought the handle down harshly on the back of Raoul's head. Out of both pain and surprise, he dropped the weapon and clutched his head, falling to the ground with a loud hiss. Christine stared in shock as her comrade fell. The Phantom, seeing this as a golden opportunity, swiftly shot forward and knocked the gun out of her hand. Christine quickly snapped back into focus and angrily tried to throw a punch at his nose. He caught her hand with ease and brought her forward, painfully twisting the limb behind her back. She struggled to get out of his steely grip, flailing her other arm about wildly. But he snatched out and grabbed it, and brought the two together, rendering her helpless.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to come with us, princess," he purred in her ear softly. She shook her head and spat at the ground. "You'll have to drag my dead body out of here," she replied. He "tsk"ed a few times and looked toward Nadir. The Persian nodded and turned the gun towards Raoul, who was on the ground, now writing in pain. "I think I'd prefer it if you were alive. Him, on the other hand…" the Phantom drowned off.

Christine's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare," she whispered. Nadir looked at her with a flash of regret in his eyes and pulled the trigger, letting the shot ring out loudly into the air.

(A/N: I'LL END THE CHAPTER HERE! –killed- X.x)

"RAOUL!!" she screeched, and tried to dive for him, but was held back by the Phantom's firm grip.

She looked at his body and began to sob in relief when she saw the bullet hole in the tile on the ground, an inch away from his head. Her legs gave out and she fell to the floor, weeping as tears streamed down her face. The Phantom, still holding her arms, kneeled down behind her and leaned into her hair. "I assure you, he won't miss next time," he whispered, which was followed by the sound of a gun cocking above her.

"…I'll go w-with you," she whispered, hiccupping. "J-just don't hurt him. Promise you won't hurt him."

He nodded. "Such a good girl. Now, I'll help you up," he said, standing and hauling her onto her own feet.

Raoul looked up from he cold ground up at Nadir. "I'll get…you back I…swear…" he growled, struggling to keep his eyes open.

He looked down on the man lying there and sighed. "Forgive me," he said, before delivering a swift kick to the officer's temple. Raoul cried out in anguish, then grunted before passing out on the tile, his breathing growing shallow.

Christine's eyes widened. "You promised," she hissed. The Phantom shook his head with a chuckle. "If you'll remember correctly," he said, "I never promised anything. Now, we can't have any chance of you escaping, so it's time to go to sleep, princess."

Nadir pulled out a syringe from his sleeve and pulled the cap off of the needle. Christine struggled against the man's seize, but couldn't budge. The man walked over to her and thrust it into the vein on her neck, injecting the sedative into her blood stream. He pulled the needle out and the masked robber let her fall to the ground. She coughed and looked up at him. "You monster," she snarled.

"Goodnight, Christine," he smirked. Her eyes began to softly close. "How do y-you know…my…m-my…" but she never finished her sentence before she fell into a deep slumber.

The phantom slid a hand under her knees and another to support her back before lifting her up bridal style. Nadir sighed and shook his head. "This was a bad idea, Erik," he said. "I told you we shouldn't have gone through with this."

Erik looked down on the sleeping girl. "Nonsense. I got what I came for. And you know," he chucked, "I think it went well."

Nadir looked down. "You're insane," he whispered, unwrapping the turban from his head. Once he was done, he knelt down beside the fallen male and began to wrap the bandage around his head, where the blood began to visibly bleed through. Raoul groaned and knitted his brows together in his sleep.

"That conscience of yours is what's going to get you killed someday," Erik pointed out. Nadir looked up and glared at him harshly. "That may be so, but I'll feel a lot better knowing I have a shroud of sympathy for others," he said before turning back to his previous concentration. "Which is more than I can say for you."

Erik chuckled. "You know…perhaps I am insane," he said, replying to Nadir's earlier comment as he traced a finger down the length of Christine's cheek.

"But I'll finally get the revenge I've been thirsting for."

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A NOTE TO ALL READERS:

I've received some reviews from readers (madbrilliant, more specifically) who are a bit concerned about a few topics:

Q- Why are your chapters so short?

Because I'm very busy with school and I don't have a whole lot of time to write.

Q-Will anyone be out of character?

No, I'm trying to keep everyone in character as much as possible, with a few minor changes.

Q-Will there be any original characters in this fic?

Only two, I myself hate it when I read a fic with too many original characters to keep up with. Have no fear.

Q-I'm afraid Erik and Christine will get together quickly. Will this happen?

NO! The relationship will build up very slowly, they're not going to hate each other one chapter and fall in love the next.

Q-Why is Raoul gay?

'Cause I said so.

REVIEWER RESPONSES!

Just a reviewer: Here you are!

Ariel32: Well thanks, sweetie. I try to add a little bit of comedy, but there will be a good spoonful of angst in here once in a while.

MJ MOD: o-o NO PUNJABING! –runs in circles- Yes, they all have each other? But who has Nadir? . . -dun dun dun-

Erik'sangel527: It was dumb, wasn't it? Silly Christine, always doing crazy things xD

The Girl With The Quill Pen: Love your pen name –is bookmark'd-

Gerrysjackie: Phantoms can be a handful, can't they? I think so. :D And Raoul just deserves to be gay…

Rose of Night: The real twist is yet to come. Believe it or not, this is a sci-fi fic. You'll see. And yes, I thought Christine needed to stop wallowing in self pity and get some guts, by god.

Reader-of-Stories: ALL HAIL TO THE READER OF STORIES! –bows-

Jtbwriter: Truthfully, that wasn't supposed to be funny, lol! And you'll just have to wait and see ;)

LittleLottexoxEriksTrueAngel: The Christine-napping hath commenced!

x-forbiddenrose-x: YES MA'AM! –salute-

Twinkle22: I always perceived Erik as a very calm person…I thought it might add an edge to him.

TERRY - cRaZy ItALian: I'VE SEEN THAT MOVIE!!!…I just don't remember it xD Yeah, I wanted Nadir in this fic. Cuz he rox ass.

Kalaia: -runs like mad- I'M SORRY, OKAY?!?!?!

Madbrilliant: I hope all of your questions were answered above, thanks for the long review. It's reviewers like you that keep us writers really motivated in our stories. You really made my day. –gives you a brownie-………-takes it back and runs-

XbrokenmindedX: Lol loving the "chea" thing. Thanks for the review! -

Romanticfan: Sorry for the shortness of the chapters. I have to make it up on the weekend when I have time.

Thank you all for reading and please keep reviewing! REVIEWS MAKE SUGAR A HAPPY LADY! –munches on madbrilliant's brownie-

Kisses!


	4. Captive

Gack! Sorry for the long wait, y'all. I've been busy with exams X.x

Thanks for all the reviews, I'm really pleased on the number I'm getting, I didn't expect this story to be so popular. Merci, merci.

Heh, if you're Christian, I would suggest a song called "Baby Got Book" by Southpaw. It's a hilarious spoof off of "Baby Got Back." I've been listening to it nonstop. xD

And I believe an apology is in order to Angelus D. I should not have acted out the way I did and I am very sorry for that. But I was angry at the time, getting the story I truly worked hard on joked about like that. I hope you understand, and again, I apologize. It was wrong of me to do that.

But, as I stated earlier, I would appreciate it if you did not use my fanfiction for your website. Thank you.

Now for the long-awaited chapter!

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Christine woke up feeling nauseous and drowsy. Her insides churned and her head felt light as she opened her eyes hazily. She attempted to sit up, but found she was too weak to do so.

It was then that everything came back to her. The entire night replayed itself in her mind. The bank, the masked man, the injection.

The injection! Panicking, she lifted her head with all of the energy she had left. She quickly scanned her surroundings. She was in a rather spacious room, she noted, complete with very high-end looking furniture. A large, oak chest stood to the left of her and on it stood many antique perfume bottles. A small hand mirror and brush lay beside them.

The room itself was painted a deep, seductive red. The only light source was the sunlight streaming through the skylight window on the ceiling about 13 feet above. She rested on a large, king-sized bed laden with luxurious white satin sheets (A/N: Whoo, satin).

She could feel she was no longer in uniform anymore. Instead, she had been fitted into a small, cotton nightgown that clung to her body. She paled a bit, hoping that if God had one shred of humanity left in him, it wasn't the Phantom that had changed her.

Angrily, she struggled to sit up again, but to no avail. Now extremely frustrated, she brought up her arm and slammed her fist into the headboard behind her.

This couldn't be. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. She was a top officer on the force, she, of all people…All of the fury that had welled up inside finally released.

"**PHANTOM!!!"**

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"**PHANTOM!!!"**

"Ah. I see our guest is awake. Perfect…everything is going according to plan. Meg, would you mind?"

"Right away, Sir."

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Christine was now sitting up, eyes closed and panting softly in exhaustion. She had finally been able to summon the strength to hoist herself into a sitting position.

Her eyes snapped open when she heard the door knob turning. Her heart began to pound wildly, but she forced herself to stay calm. She stared as the door began to open. "Come to kill me, Phantom?"

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm afraid that won't be necessary," replied a giggling female voice from behind the door.

Confused, Christine looked to see a young blonde woman holding a breakfast tray walk into the room and to the foot of her bed. A very pretty girl, she looked to be in her mid-twenties. She wore a simple white t-shirt and jeans that hung loosely on her body. The tray she held had an assortment of breakfast foods, and an enticing scent that made Christine's stomach rumble.

Smiling, the girl made her way over to small the bedside table, placing the tray on top. "I apologize, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Megan," she said, pouring some tea from a small kettle into a tiny porcelain cup. "But everyone calls me Meg," she added, turning towards the other woman in the bed.

Christine stared at her, completely dumbfounded. "Are you a captive here, too?"

Meg looked down at her, blinking a few times as if she were processing the question. Suddenly, she burst out laughing, bending over and holding her gut. Christine glared at her. "Why are you laughing?"

Meg finally straightened, giggling as she wiped a stray tear from her eye. "I'm s-sorry…but that was just too funny," she said.

"I fail to see the humor in this," Christine replied dryly. Meg continued to smile as she went on. "I'm far from being held…captive," she said slowly. "I'm one of Er…the Phantom's accomplices." Christine's eyes widened. "Perhaps you remember the robbing of the Freimand Macht bank last month in Paris?" Christine nodded slightly.

"Well, remember the girl who coincidentally had a heart attack in that same bank right before the robbery?" She nodded again. "That was me."

Christine continued to stare. "Well," Meg continued, "I hope we can be friends anyway. I suggest you eat, I'm sure those sedatives haven't worn off and you'll need your energy."

The young woman in the bed stared at the food and knit her brows together. "How to I know it's not poisoned?" she asked, hesitant as weather or not to trust the girl.

"You don't," she replied, shrugging, "But you can either take your chances and eat it or starve." Meg began to walk away and back towards the door. Just as she came to the door frame, she turned her head back and said, "By the way, you're invited to dinner with the Phantom tonight. I suggest you come."

Christine narrowed her eyes. "I'd rather die than dine with that monster," she retorted.

Med simply shrugged her shoulders. "Fine. However, I feel it fair to inform you that this is the only meal that will be delivered to you, so either you dine with him or you go hungry. So, if you choose to come, I will be back tonight at seven to escort you."

And with that, she walked out the door, and locked it with a soft click.

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Is this considered a cliffhanger? O.o Oh well…

HAPPY REVIEWER CIRCLE TIME! –issofunny-

Erik'sangel527: 'Tis a hit, it 'tis it 'tis. Thanks so much, maybe this chapter will suppress your Erik cravings. XD

GerrysJackie: I suppose it can O.o…

MJ MOD: OO NO CRUSHING?! I smack you. All of your questions will be answered very soon, I assure you, my friend.

Twinkle22: Things aren't always what they seem…-mysterious music-

Rose of Night:………NOT IF I STEAL IT FIRST! I know…so many questions, so little time to write….

XBrokenMindedx: -ish a darlink- I know, I felt Nadir needed to be a compassionate character in this story. And the EC is yet to come, my child…-plot thickening music-

The Girl With the Quill Pen: aw –ish loved- Yeah, the whole crazy-obsessed-60-year-old Erik that we all know (and love) needed to have a few adjustments xD MSN icons rock.

Jbtwriter: I know…I thought the needle in the neck thing would add a more…dramatic effect. Lol. And I DO try to keep her in character.

Rose Ice: Your wish ish my command.

Reviewer: True, true.

Omg: Aw, thanks, that's such a nice compliment.

Kathryn Glover: Yeah it took me a while to figure out how they were gonna get out of that 

x-forbiddenrose-x: Ugh, isn't it horrible? All the reviewers screaming, "OMFG WHY DIDN'T YOU MAKE A LOGER CHAPTER?!?!?! –foams at mouth-"

Madbrilliant: Yeah, that was kind of rude. But I was rude, too, so I guess we evened each other out. Glad I answered your questions, and I hope we can be friends. Wait…I'M NOT FRIENDS WITH BROWNIE STEALERS! –narrows eyes-

Le Phan: Lol when I saw your pen name I thought of the Pillsbury dough boy dressed up as the Phantom O.o Don't ask…Thanks for the review!

Designer Kisses:….That's the end of the story? o.o –blink-

Ariel23: Nadir rocks my socks, man xD Yeah, I'm not a Raoul basher, he plays an important part in this fic.

Kalaia: Hey, what I says, goes. End of story. IF I SAY RAOUL IS GAY, THEN BY GOD-shot by Raoul fangirls-

Kendra:….Thanks? Oo

ATOMIC BOMB: …………but she's fun to raost ;-;

Anonymous: I deleted her review because I did not see it as advice, but as more of a rude comment. I feel that the reviews should be used to criticize the story, not he author's personal decisions. If you want to review to criticize, comment, ect., then be my guest! I just don't feel it should be used for that. Thanks for trying to help though, I know you mean well.

REVIEWS MAKE SUGAR A HAPPY……sugar Oo…...

But you can't make cookies without sugar, now can you? xD


	5. Dinner

OO Woah, 49 to 73 reviews in one chapter? That's like…-counts on fingers- 24 reviews O.o

You guys never cease to amaze me xD.

Well, here's the next installment in the story. Enjoy.

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She was doing it again.

Just pacing…idly.

A million thoughts ran through her head. 'Why is he toying with me like this?' she asked herself. 'Why can't he just do away with me instead? How did he know my name? How much does he know about me?'

She had made many failed attempts to break out of the room that day. Slowly but surely the sedatives wore off, and she began to look over the room for any possible means of escape. After hours of searching, banging, and screaming, she had finally given up.

'Besides,' she thought, 'even if I _did_ escape, I don't know if they took Raoul, too. I can't leave him.'

For the first time in her life, Christine Daae was genuinely stuck. The sun had already begun to set, and she grew even more worried. Her anticipation began to rise up.

She knew that there was no choice. She had to face the Phantom tonight, weather she wanted to or not.

Christine drew in a sharp breath as the doorknob on the door began to twist slowly. She felt like dropping on the ground and sobbing, but stood tall and gulped down a breath.

Meg stepped out from behind the door and lifted her head, looking Christine square in the eye.

"Have you made your decision?"

"Take me to the bastard."

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Meg led Christine down a long string of hallways for what seemed like forever. They were lined with large portraits and paintings from the famous eras of the centuries. It was obvious that the Phantom had no problems squandering his wealth.

Finally, the two reached their destination. Meg stopped in front of a large pair of fringed doors. She lifted a hand and grabbed the large, golden knocker. She brought it down with a forceful bang, causing the doors to quiver a bit.

"Come in," replied the masculine voice from inside.

The blonde turned and gave the other girl a reassuring smile before proceeding through the doors with Christine in pursuit.

The two of them stepped into the large dining hall and Christine had to keep from gasping in awe. The room was decorated in simple elegance, and could be compared to the Queen's dining room. The area was completely candle-lit, and in the center sat a long (around 6 feet, guessed), rectangular table.

And there he sat. At the furthest end of the table, he was parked in a large, towering wooden chair. His eyes were fixed on hers.

"Thank you Meg," he said, never once lifting his gaze from the girl. Meg nodded and left the room without another word, closing the doors behind her.

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COMMERCIAL BREAK! -Walks away to get a drink-

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"I know I'm devilishly handsome, and that it's hard to resist me, but feel free to sit down whenever you like."

Christine fumed at the arrogance of the man in front of her. "Who the hell do you think you are?!" she shouted.

She began to walk towards him steadily. "You threaten my friend," closer, "you take me captive," closer, "and now you just toy with me!!" She yelled as she slammed her palms on the table.

"Patience, patience," he replied, waving his hand in the air as if to shoo off a moth. "Why not relax? You must be hungry." He took a glass of white wine off the table and offered it to her.

She knocked the glass out of his hand, causing it to clatter to the floor and spill. "I didn't come down here to eat! _I want my questions answered,"_ she hissed.

He threw up has hands beside his head in a gesture of surrender. "Now, Miss Daae, you take me for the monster I am not," he said, amused. "You are not grateful for the hospitality I have shown you?"

"What hospitality?" she sneered. He just chuckled in response.

"Ah, I suppose it cannot be helped," he said, pushing his chair back and standing up so that he was towering over her.

She looked up at him and narrowed her eyes. "What do you want from me?" she whispered.

"You see, my dear," he said, pulling out a rope from behind his back. "You're the one I need." She stared at him, confused.

She gasped when he pulled the rope out to reveal a noose on the end. But before she could move, he quickly threw it around her head and around her throat, then yanked her forward, pressing her body to his.

She choked as her air supply began to cut off and tried to struggle free, but the more she moved, the tighter the noose became. She gasped for air and began to dig her nails into his forearm.

The masked man let out a laugh at her struggled attempts. "Christine, Christine, Christine," he tsked. He leaned down to the side of her face and purred in her ear, "Without you, my dear…

I can't carry out my revenge."

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OMG! –Insert scary music here-

Sorry for the short chapter…and the cliffhanger…-watches phans with punjabs walking towards her- o-o Uh….

REVIEWER RESPONSES!

Jtbwriter: Yeah, I thought the whole "Meg as Christine's friend was a little over-cliché, so I thought this might be a nice change.

E/MOTP: Lol, sorry no e/m fluff here.

Designer Kisses: Yes, master . sorry for the shortness, I'm so busy! ;

Xbrokenmindedx: Yes we love Meggy. And don't worry, Erik will make many more appearances.

Zeeksmom: Yes ma'am xD I fixed that just for you, sorry that it bothered ya so much.

Timeflies (x4): Thanks for all of the support. I'm glad you like it so much!

Mominator (x4): Thanks so much for all of the tips Oo I completely re-wrote chapter 2 just for you. I also fixed the "syringe" mistake, you were totally right on that! Thanks so much again, it's reviewers like you that keep us going!

Lonesomegurlangelofdeath: Sure they're com-fay. You'll see in the next chappie.

The Girl With the Quill Pen: Doncha love Chrissy? And I know how ya feel OO;

Me: Aw, thankies

Plaming Marshmallows: oo now I'm imagining a FLAMING Pillsbury dough boy. And yeah, I didn't like Meg in the movie so I jazzed her up a bit. XD

Madbrilliant: I'LL CALL YOU A FOOL!….FOOL!….hah. I know, I was thinking it was similar to Beauty and the Beast as well O.o –steals Erik's brownie-

Erik: ;-; -sniffle-

Erik'sangel527: He needed a partner and Nadir was already taken for another role, so I thought, "WHAT THE HELL, I'LL USE MEG!!!"

x-forbiddenrose-x: I'm full of surprises.

Kalaia:P nah-nah

Twinkle22: I like to confuse my children….

MJ MOD: la-de-da you'll just have to wait and seeeee.

ATOMIC BOMB: Nah…I'll roast Erik. XD

REVIEW, MY PEEPS! OR NO CHAPTERS FOR YOU!…..PUT THE GUNS DOWN!

Reviewers:…The bombs, too?

EVERYTHING!

-pokes little blue button- Click on iiiiit…..


	6. Surprise

-Deep breath-

_**I AM SO SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!**_

I apologize for my absence. We actually got our internet fixed on Saturday, but it was too late at night to start writing. And today, we bleached my hair….

And it turned orange….

So, we had to go BACK to CVS to get another blonde color. It's finally right.

-FANFARE-

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A thousand thoughts were running through Christine's mind at once. 'What revenge? Who is he? And oh God, how do I get myself out of this mess?'

She choked as he pulled the noose tighter, completely cutting off her air supply. He chuckled and looked down on her, no remorse apparent in his eyes. "Time's running out, Princess."

Panicking, she began to struggle and claw at his chest. But nothing seemed to falter his stance. Her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen and her mind screamed desperately at her. Her vision began to grow hazy as she grasped the edge of the nearby table for support.

Her fingers brushed up against something sleek and polished on the surface. Her eyes widened. 'A wine glass!'

Thinking quickly, she grasped the stem of the goblet. Then, with every bit of strength she could muster, she lashed out and struck him in the head forcefully.

The glass shattered the instant it made contact with his skull. Out of both pain and surprise, he let out a grunt and released the noose, stumbling backward.

Christine threw the stem to the side and ripped the loose rope off of her neck, letting it fall to the ground. She clutched her throat and began to gasp and cough, sucking in every last bit of air she could to relieve her burning lungs.

The man grasped the side of his head and groaned loudly. When he pulled his hand away, he couldn't help but stare at the dripping, blood-stained fingers in shock. He turned his gaze back over to Christine, who was still gasping for air.

He continued to stare in a state of shock. Suddenly, his lips curved up into a smile. He began to chortle insanely, which soon turned into a booming laugh. "Brava! Brava!" he said, clapping his hands and taking a step in her direction.

She quickly snatched a steak knife off of the table and thrust it towards him menacingly. "Get the hell away from me!" she snarled.

He threw his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I really must congratulate you, Christine," he said, plucking a napkin off the table and dabbing at the wound on his head. "You passed with flying colors."

She lowered her knife a bit. "This was a test?"

"I had to test your abilities. You did well," he replied, wincing as he put pressure on the cloth. "You really got me good, didn't you?"

"…And if I failed this test?"

"Then you would be dead."

She paled at the thought. "Why did you test me? What is this place?

Who _are_ you?"

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THE END!

-shot-

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"You see, Christine," he sighed, pulling a chair out and sitting down. "Five years ago I was…retired from an organization that worked for the government. Now, the people I worked for dealt with those that the government needed to…disappear."

Christine's eyes widened. "What kind of a sick jo-"

"Let me finish!" he barked. "I'm afraid I had no choice in the matter at the time. I was forced to do what I did. I killed a lot of people. People who…didn't deserve to die.

After my retirement, I vowed to do everything in my power to stop this organization. That is why I sought you, Christine Daae. Without you…I cannot carry out my revenge."

She stared at him, silent, and in disbelief. "Why should I believe you?" she asked, cautious. "Why in the seven hells should I help you after you nearly killed me?"

"You don't have to," he shrugged. "In fact, you can walk out the door right now, and I give you my word that you will never see me again. "However," he said, his brows furrowed in a serious stare, "if you leave now, I will not be able to stop these people on my own. And I assure that if you leave now…" he paused,

"Hundreds of people will die."

She drew in a sharp breath at the last statement. Surely he couldn't have been serious. This was all a joke, just some hoax to trick her. But…

What if it wasn't? She contemplated over her options.

"Why me?" she finally asked. "Of all the people who could help you, why choose me?"

"I have my reasons," he said, setting the bloody napkin on the table and crossing his legs.

"And the bank robberies?" she asked with a cocked brow.

"To get your attention."

Her jaw went slack. "Are you insane? You couldn't have just knocked on my door?!"

"Now, where's the fun in that?" he smirked. She mentally slapped herself in the face.

"But we're getting of topic," he said, his expression turning serious. He gasped an untouched glass off the table and took a sip of water.

"Make your decision."

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REVIEWER RESPONSES!

LittleLottexoxEriksTrueAngel: -gasp- WHO KNOWS?!

Timeflies: Ah, inquisitive, aren't we my friend? ;)

Eriksangel527: Ah, my faithful reviewer! I'm trying to set a new perspective on the characters without loosing their original personalities. And I had to have the Punjab in there somewhere. Erik might die without it o-o

Twinkle22: Aw . -feels lurved by twinkle-

Me: Naw, he didn't kidnap her out of love. O.o that'd be one jacked up relationship.

ATOMIC BOMB: o-o I roast all…-walks towards Colleen with a long spewing stick-

Jtbwriter: I assure you she won't love him for choking her. (Christine:….You…..choked me……LURVE! –tackle-)

Lila: lol I'm so busy . ;

The Girl With the Quill Pen: Chocolate fucks me up OO

Rose of Night: I like her too, I don't like the whole "feeble Christine"

Snapedreamer: I get the point! LONGER CHAPTERS! LONGER I SAY! –pokes chapters-

EriksDiva: Thanks phor leh comments mah friend.

Kalaia: O.O yesh!

Designer Kisses:…admit you love the cliffies xD

x-forbiddenrose-x: -evil suspense music-

DollyMillionaire: -pokes with stick- o.o are you alive now?

XbrokenMindedx:….kinda e/c Oo BRING IT ON, WOMAN! –readies brownies-

E/MOTP: OMFG YOU ARE MY 100TH REVIEWER! –SQUEEEEEZE-

Phlaming Marshmallows:…Jackets…THEY BURN!!!!!!

MadBrilliant: o.o NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Erik's all smexeh, is he not? 3 I'm trying to lengthen as much as I can!

Firbereth: Thank joo all!

Lennatha: Thanks!

MJ MOD:…you didn't know he was mad? Oo

REVIEW!


	7. Realization

AH HAH! THOU HATH RETURNETH!

-DUN DUN DUN-

Hah…I just got back from my friend's house.

Yeah…We had a boob contest.

Guess what?

Mine won.

…

DUDE DONE STOLE MY CHOCOBO!

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"No."

The man promptly stood up from his chair, his hand clutching the table edge tightly. "What?"

Christine took a step toward him, her eyes in a glare. "You honestly think I'd believe you were from a 'secret organization'," which was followed by quoting gestures, "And that you need my help?" she snorted. "I'm not stupid."

He gave her an even look. "You don't have to believe me, Christine. In fact," he said, sweeping a hand through his hair. "You don't even have to trust me."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

His lips curved up in a smile. He traces a finger down the length of his chin, opposite of the mask. "What if I told you," he said, "That if you help, I'll let you have me?"

Her eyes widened. "You sick mother-!"

He held up a hand to stop her. "What I meant to say was, if you help me, I'll let you turn me over to the police."

She inhaled sharply at the thought. Surely he was lying. There was no way he would be crazy enough to do that.

"I don't believe you," she spat.

He shrugged his shoulders. "You don't have to, remember?" he said. "But think about it Christine. Why not take the chance? I mean, if you leave now, you'll never be able to catch me."

She growled. "Is that a challenge?"

"No," he smirked. "It's a fact."

She looked at him hard, and he stared back at her with an equal strength. His eyes never left hers, and his gaze never faltered. She let out a long sigh.

"You _do_ know the punishment for the severity of the crimes you have committed, don't you?" she said in an even tone, unsure of him.

He lowered his head in a single nod. "I'm well aware, Christine."

She bowed her head so that her bangs shadowed over her eyes. "Why should I trust you?" she whispered.

"Because, my dear," he said, taking even, slow steps in her directions. "You've got nothing to lose." He stopped a foot away from her and raised his hand. "And," he continued softly, as he swept the hair gently from her face,

"You have nothing to go back to."

A pang of realization hit her. He was right. No matter how much she hated to admit it, he was right. She couldn't just waltz back home without the Phantom. She'd be out of a job quicker than she could blink.

She batted his hand away and stepped back. He pulled his arm back and chuckled. She watched as he turned on his heel and began to walk towards the opposite wall of the room. He stopped at a small, silver platform plastered on the wall. He leaned in and pressed a small button, then began to talk into it.

"Alyssa, please come down to the dining area," he spoke. He let go of the button and turned back to Christine. "I assure you that in my household, you will be taken well care of. If you have any needs, either Alyssa or Meg will tend to them. If you have any problems, you may come and consult with me in the north wing," he finished.

Suddenly, the two large doors over to her right began to slowly creek open. She looked to see a small girl walk out into the room. She looked no older than 10 years old, her unnaturally long, blonde hair was pulled up into a messy bun atop her head. She turned and fixed her eyes on Christine, tilting her head in curiosity.

The Phantom walked over to the new girl and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Alyssa, this is Christine. She is our new guest staying here. Please show her around," he said to the girl.

The child, now identified as Alyssa, turned back to Christine, grinning brightly. "A new buddy!" she giggled, running over to the older woman. She snatched Christine's hand and held onto in tightly, snuggling into her side.

The Phantom chuckled and looked at Christine's confused expression. "This is Alyssa, our computer technician," he explained.

Christine looked down at the young female, who smiled back up at her brightly. She then turned to the masked man. "You're joking, right?" she asked, deadpan. He shook his head and smirked. "Alyssa and Meg will be your new room mates. They will take care of you and tend to your needs."

Christine, now attempting to shake the girl off of her arm, stopped what she was doing. "Why?" she asked. The Phantom nodded his head in Alyssa's direction. "All will be explained, my dear," he replied. He turned and began to away, halting at the doorway. He turned back. "Oh, and one more thing," he added. "The Chief of State is hosting a party tomorrow evening. We must go to get some documents that are needed. You will be attending as my wife." And with the last statement hanging in the air, he swiftly turned and left the room.

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THE PLOT THICKENS!

-DUN DUN DUN-

Thank you for the wait, all of my faithful reviewers. Now, for the reviewer responses!

Jtbwriter: OO 'twas a test! All of your questions will be answered soon, I promise. XD

x-forbiddenrose-x: -hair is blown back- o.o no more evil music…got it…..

erik'sangel527: pssssht ALL of my stories are sexy. XD Yeah, I'm pretty good at cliffies, I think. Hopefully this wasn't much of one o.o

Twinkle22: things are not always as they appear –bum bum bum-

E/MOTP: Yeah, just a little xD

Operacynic: Yeah, I gotta stop doing that xD

Timeflies: I know, plot-thickening shit right there…

Isabel Hale: Ugh, at least it's back to a nice blonde color…thank you!

Me: You'll understand later in the story. Yes, mah hair ISH fabulash! (isn't fabulash a mascara band? Oo)

Snapedreamer: Oh no, it didn't bother me. Thanks for the reviews and suggestions, though xD

Forward-but-sincere-pirate: Oh thanks! (lots of people are saying that Oo)

Opera777: -wave- Yeah, I had to get rid of him somehow. It fit him well, anyways.

Kathryn Glover: Wow. I'm brilliant….SCORE!

MJ MOD: BWAHAHAHA! It will make sense later, I promise xD

Phlaming Marshmallow: Yesh. But the hair is no longer orange. And I like cliffies. YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?!?!?!

One.Black.Ribbon: Who doesn't love suspense?

Lennatha: psssht, why do things the EASY way?

Darthblake: -dodges large anvil that gets thrown- o.o I UPDATED! FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, I UPDATED! –runs-

Madbrilliant: Erik is the sex, man xD we lurve him and MY BROWNIES! –munch-

ATOMIC BOMB: Thanks! No, Raoul didn't die, shilly.

Buddy: o.o YOU'RE IN THIS CHAPTER, NO HURTING!!! –runs- Oh, I'll call you when I can.

Kalia: Erik's too sexy to get her attention any other way xD

Mrs. Gerard J. Butler: Yes ma'am!

EriksDiva: Yeah, I think he's somewhat in character, but I did add a few features to 'im.

The Girl With The Quill Pen: Yes, this Erik is just awesome. I love working with him.

XBrokenMindedX: NO STALKING! O.o and no more chocolate phor j00.

Crystallynn: Thank you so much! –sniffle- ;-;

Maska: Yesh, it's a bit different from the over cliché highschool AU fics that one reads xD

REVIEW, PEOPLE!!!!


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